Great pictures Malcolm. I've noticed that the granit memorials in the north east have some really interesting designs. In the rest of Scotland designs tend to be far more straight forward and traditional with celtic crosses and simple obelisks but in Aberdeenshire and the north east design seems to have been much more adventurous as if anything goes! I've never understood why, maybe some of our members from up that neck of the woods can offer some explanation?
Jim

Great pictures Malcolm. I've noticed that the granit memorials in the north east have some really interesting designs. In the rest of Scotland designs tend to be far more straight forward and traditional with celtic crosses and simple obelisks but in Aberdeenshire and the north east design seems to have been much more adventurous as if anything goes! I've never understood why, maybe some of our members from up that neck of the woods can offer some explanation?
Jim

It was not for nothing that Aberdeen became known as the Granite City. There were many granite works employing hundreds of ganite workers. The surrounding countryside is dotted with granite quarries. The local architects and sculptors were well aware of all its possibilities. The freedom of treatment you refer to would spring from the utter confidence of constant practise in working this material. I would like to think that the people involved, from design to hewing and polishing, were perhaps trying even harder in this case.

The memorial, which bears the names of 184 men from WW1 and 14 from WW2, is 11 metres in height and made of Kemnay granite. It is described by UKNIWM as :
ELONGATED GROUP OF GRANITE COLUMNS STANDING ON PAVED PLATFORM. UPPER PARTS STAND CLEAR & CARRY FRIEZE & CORNICE CROWNED BY OBELISK.

It was unveiled on 24th September 1922 by the Duke of Richmond and Gordon

These panels added to commemorate those who fell, 1939-1945

_________________Jim

If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.